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Halgrimson: Bread withstands test of time

Years ago when my parents went to Green Valley, Ariz., for the winter, my visits to them were always filled with good food.

One of the things my mother always made when I was there was Mexican spoon bread. She’d gotten the recipe from a friend in Tucson who had gotten it from the newspaper.

I copied the recipe onto a card and brought it home, and I’m still making it. The card, which sits in front of the A section so it’s readily available, is somewhat the worse for the wear.

The only change I’ve made to the recipe is that I use olive oil rather than plain vegetable oil. And sometimes I use Jack cheese rather than cheddar, which the original recipe called for.

The bread is a tasty accompaniment to grilled meat, fish or fowl, or even with a side of refried beans as a simple supper. It’s also a good dish to take to a potluck supper. I don’t know if it freezes well, because when I make it, it disappears too fast.

Mexican Spoon Bread

Ingredients

1 can (15 ounces) creamed corn

¾ cup milk

1/3 cup oil

2 eggs, slightly beaten

1 cup cornmeal

½ teaspoon soda

1 teaspoon salt

1½ cups grated cheese

1 can (4.5 ounces) chopped green chilies

Directions

Mix creamed corn, milk, oil, eggs, cornmeal, soda and salt together.

Pour half the batter into a greased 9-by-9-inch pan. Spread chiles and half of the cheese over batter, add remaining batter and sprinkle remaining cheese over the top.

Bake at 425 degrees for 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the bread comes out clean. Set pan on a rack to cool and cut into 9 squares.